Babysitting and Other Occupational Hazards
by Sun
Summary: Set approx. 10 years before "We Can Be Heroes." When Nick's family is killed in Ireland, the Official has to find a substitute keeper for a teenage Maggie.


"You wanted to see me, sir?" Hobbes glanced around the spacious office. This was only the second time he'd been called to the Official's office.

"You're taking a break from your current assignment. We need you for something special."

Bennett leaned down. "Sir, are you sure about this? He's not the most stable person."

The Official waved him off and turned back to Hobbes. "It's very important. The man who usually handles this assignment is out of the country."

"What do you want me to do?" Hobbes asked, throwing a glare at Bennett.

"It's a particularly sensitive assignment. You'll learn the specifics once you report in." The Official glanced at Bennett, who smirked briefly before returning to his usual straight face. "This assignment is going to need you to be on duty twenty-four/seven for the next week or so. Are you up to that?"

Hobbes nodded. "I'm your man, boss. Just tell me where to go and when to report."

"Good, good." The Official rooted around on his desk, finally coming up with a slip of paper. "Here you are. Report to Lab 3 as soon as possible. This code will get you inside."

Hobbes took the paper and nodded. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

"You'd better not, Agent Hobbes," The Official remarked and dismissed Hobbes with a wave of his hand.

* * *

Hobbes walked down the dim hallway to the labs. He glanced at the numbers on the doors until he found Lab 3. He punched the code into the keypad and the metal door slid open with a whoosh.

"Hello?" he called as he stepped inside. The door shut behind him and he moved further into the lab. The room was large and dimly lit, with half walls and partitions creating smaller areas.

"He sent another one? I would have thought after the last time he would have given up." A voice from the darkest corner of the room spoke up. It sounded young to Hobbes, and decidedly female.

"Yeah, well, I don't know anything about that. All they told me was that my assignment was down here and that the man who usually takes care of it was out of the country." Hobbes wandered around the room, looking it over before heading toward the voice.

There was a snort of what sounded like laughter. "They must be getting desperate. You're not even part of RD, are you?"

Hobbes was growing frustrated. "Listen, kid, I'm just following orders. Can you tell me where I can pick up whatever it is I'm watching?"

A light suddenly switched on and Hobbes blinked the spots away. When his vision cleared he found himself looking at a teenage girl sprawled in a desk chair, her heavy black combat boots resting on the desk. She was wearing faded, ripped blue jeans and a black t-shirt with The Ramones logo on it. The girl was on the smallish side, with curly red hair twisted up into two messy buns on the top of her head. Her vibrant green eyes looked almost as if they were glowing as they followed him around the room. She looked every bit a belligerent teenage punk.

This, however, was not the most extraordinary thing about this scene. The most extraordinary thing, by far, was the pen spinning lazily in the air in front of her. All by itself.

"I don't think you understand, Agent Hobbes. I'm not something you can just pick up."

"You're my assignment?" Hobbes finally asked when it dawned on him what she said.

"Quick witted, you are." She tilted her head to one side and the pen went zipping past Hobbes's head to land on a lab tray behind him. "I'm Maggie."

"Bobby Hobbes. But you already know that. How did you do that?" Hobbes leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "And how did you know who I was?"

"It's classified." Maggie shrugged. "And I just did. Are you sure you're up to this task Agent Hobbes? I've gone through three babysitters before you."

"Pleasant little imp, aren't you? Where's your usual zookeeper?"

"Nick had to go home. His mom and sister died in a car accident." She looked down at the desk, her expression dark. "And he's just my Keeper. No zoo."

Hobbes waved his hand around the lab. "Well, if you're in my charge, you'd better get your things. I'm going home."

Maggie shook her head. "Not going."

"You planning on staying here? Doesn't look all that comfy to me."

She shrugged. "Done it before."

"Come on. My wife's making dinner and she's a great cook," Hobbes cajoled.

Maggie looked skeptical. "What's she making?"

"I can call and ask. Or you could just come home with me and find out."

"Fine, whatever." Maggie grabbed a book bag from under the desk and slung it over her shoulder. "You got kids?" she asked as they walked out of the lab.

Hobbes shook his head. "Not yet. We're thinking about it." He threw a sidelong glance at her. "What's your deal? You don't look old enough to be working here."

"I live with Nick." She didn't elaborate more. Hobbes took the hint and fell silent. He led her out to his van and held the door open for her.

* * *

They rode all the way to Hobbes's house in silence. Slumped into the passenger seat, Maggie watched the scenery change from an urban landscape to a suburban one, with nice houses and green lawns. Hobbes pulled the van into the driveway of a small Cape Cod style house. Maggie looked around warily as they approached the house.

"Hey Viv! I brought someone home from work," Hobbes called as he kicked off his shoes and motioned for Maggie to follow him. She removed her own boots and wandered into the house.

A lovely blond woman emerged from the kitchen. She kissed Bobby hello and smiled at Maggie. "Who's this?"

"The boss needed someone to look after Maggie here for a little while so I got the job." He went into the fridge and Maggie could hear the fridge opening. "Hey kid, you want something to drink?"

"Just water." Maggie called back. She smiled at Viv uncomfortably.

Viv shook her head. "Sorry about him. I'm Vivian." She held out her hand.

Maggie stared at her hand like it was something alien. "I can't touch people."

"Oh." Viv looked uncomfortable. "Well, I hope you like Chinese. I made a stir fry." She walked back toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, fine." Maggie followed Viv.

Hobbes held a glass out to Maggie. "Here you go." She nodded her thanks and took a drink. "Where have you been staying?"

"The first two agents took me back and forth to home, but the third one made me stay at the Agency. He didn't last very long." Maggie smiled wickedly as she spoke. "Where are you going to make me stay?"

"We'll see what the Official says," Hobbes told her and picked up the phone.

Viv opened a cabinet and pulled out some plates. The older woman looked at Maggie who was doing her best to look bored. "Can you please set the table for us?" Maggie raised an eyebrow at the offered plates. She ignored Viv and wandered to the window. Viv looked at Hobbes.

Hobbes hung up the phone and took the plates from her. He marched over to Maggie, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the dining room.

"Hey!" She yanked her arm free, glaring at him.

"I don't know what crap you've been pulling with the other babysitters the Official sent and I don't care if you like me or not, but you do not disrespect my wife," Hobbes said in a quiet, serious voice. "Now, she asked you to set the table. Here are the plates and there's the table. And when you're finished, I expect to hear an apology to Viv. Is that understood?"

Maggie narrowed her eyes at Hobbes and he noticed the lights flare briefly. "I'm not some little girl you can push around. Is _that_ understood?"

They stood staring at each other for a moment before he shoved the plates into Maggie's hands and stormed out of the dining room. Back in the kitchen, he picked up the phone again and dialed the Agency.

Viv was busy at the stove when he came back in. She turned around when she saw him, an unhappy look on her face. "You could have called."

"Viv, I'm sorry. The Official gave me the assignment this afternoon." He smiled gingerly at her.

She didn't look happy. "How long is it going to take?"

"I don't know. A week, maybe more. Come on, think of it as practice for when we have a kid." Something on the other end of the phone caught his attention. "Bennett, is the boss there?" Viv glared at him and turned her back. She opened a drawer and pulled out some silverware. She set it in a pile on the counter for Maggie. "Sir, it's Hobbes. No, sir. No, she's fine, sir. That's not why I'm calling, sir. Where do you want her to live while her Keeper's gone?" Hobbes watched Viv move around the kitchen while he waited for an answer. "No, sir. I don't think that would be possible. Where? What about her house? Yes, sir. No problem." Hobbes hung up and watched his wife for a moment. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek before gathering up the silverware and going into the dining room.

Maggie was looking out at the backyard. He finished setting the table and joined her at the window. "I don't want to make trouble for you," she said in a soft voice.

"You heard that?" He joined her at the window. She nodded. "The Official said I should take you back to your house tonight."

"He asked if I could stay here, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

Viv carried a bowl into the dining room and set it on the table. Maggie followed her back out into the kitchen.

"Vivian, I'm sorry I was rude to you." Maggie picked up one of the bowls.

Viv looked at her for a moment before nodding. "I imagine it's not easy to be shifted around from place to place," she said and they carried the rest of the dishes into the dining room. Surveying the table, Viv nodded and gestured for Maggie to sit. Maggie took the seat Viv indicated and they began dinner.

* * *

"So, how old are you Maggie?" Viv asked, as she passed her a helping of strawberry shortcake.

Maggie nodded thanks. "Fifteen. I'll be 16 in December."

"And what do your parents do?" It was obvious that Viv was trying to be pleasant.

The teen fell silent and dropped her head. After a moment, she looked up. "My parents are dead. My guardian works with Agent Hobbes."

"I'm so sorry." Viv shot an apologetic glance at Hobbes. He shrugged. No one had told him either.

"I was little," Maggie tried to reassure her and quickly changed the subject. "He said you guys want to have kids."

Viv smiled and nodded. "We're talking about it." She and Hobbes shared a quiet look. "Bobby loves kids."

Maggie looked uncomfortable and dug into her desert. When she was finished, she carried her bowl into the kitchen and put it in the sink. Hobbes followed her a minute later.

"Sorry, Maggie. We're not used to having a kid around."

"That's all right, Agent Hobbes. Most people aren't used to having me around."

"Kid, you can call me Bobby. Or Hobbes. I feel like I'm around the boss with you calling me Agent Hobbes all the time."

"Okay," she grinned briefly, "Bobby."

"Are you ready to go home?"

She nodded vigorously. "Should I help with the dishes?" she asked uncertainly.

Hobbes shook his head. "We've got a dishwasher." He went back into the dining room. "We're going to head out, Viv."

She nodded and stood up. "Call me and let me know where you are when you get there." Viv wrapped her arms around Bobby and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Bobby."

"Love you too baby." He kissed her gently, cradling her face in his hands.

"Be careful," she warned him.

He nodded. "I will." He kissed her again and went back into the kitchen. Maggie was grinning at him. "Not a word, kid." She just shook her head. "I'll be ready in a couple minutes. Just have to pack a bag." He headed down the hallway to the front of the house. She heard his footsteps go upstairs.

"Pack a bag?" she said to herself and followed him upstairs. "What do you mean, pack a bag?" she called when she got to the top of the stairs.

"You don't think they're going to leave you alone, do you?" Hobbes voice came from a room at the back of the house.

Maggie leaned in the doorway. Hobbes was tossing clothes into a small duffle bag. "Why not? I'm 15, I can take care of myself."

"I don't know, kid. I'm just following orders." He zipped up the bag and tossed it over his shoulder. "Let's go."

Maggie headed down the stairs slowly. Hobbes wondered if she was sliding back into a funk. He waved to Viv and followed Maggie out to the van.

* * *

"I don't know why you have to stay with me tonight." Maggie sulked, slumped down in the passenger seat. "I'm old enough to stay by myself."

"Sorry, kid." Hobbes shrugged. "Boss's orders," he said as he pulled into her driveway.

"That's such bullshit!" she exclaimed, jumping out of the van and slamming the door.

Hobbes followed close behind her. "Hey, watch your language. And don't get pissy with me. Take it up with the Official." There was an explosion behind him and he turned. "What the-" he muttered as he started towards the van, which suddenly had four flat tires.

As he walked back to the van, Maggie slipped inside the house and the door slammed shut behind her. Hobbes heard the locks click into place and ran back to the front door.

"Oh, you didn't," he muttered at the door and smashed his fist against the door. "OPEN THIS DOOR!" He hollered at the top of his lungs.

"Go to hell," was the quieter response from inside. "I told you I'm not a little kid."

"I am getting so tired of your moods, kid." Hobbes leaned back against the front door as he pulled a lock pick kit out of his jacket pocket. He knelt down next to the lock. As soon as he inserted the pick, it shot back out, bouncing off his shoulder.

"Go away Bobby," Maggie called from inside.

"Funny." He tried the pick again with the same results. "Where am I gonna go? You flattened all my tires."

"Call a cab," was the answer he received.

After 15 more minutes of bickering with Maggie, and watching the porch lights flicker whenever she yelled at him, Hobbes finally gave up and walked down to the van to use his car phone.

"Get me the number of her usual Keeper," he demanded when Bennett answered.

"You know I can't do that, Robert." Bennett voice held just a touch of condescension. "What happened?"

"She got mad at me. Locked herself in the house, flattened all four tires on Golda and is making the lights flicker every now and then. I'm at the end of my rope here, Bennett."

It sounded like Bennett sighed. "I'll call and talk to her. She's going through a very difficult period in her life. Make an effort to be nicer to her, Robert."

"I'm not the problem here, Bennett." Hobbes stressed Bennett's name more than necessary, knowing it annoyed him. Hobbes hung up the car phone and headed back up the driveway to the door. A few moments later, he heard the phone inside ring.

The ringing stopped and Hobbes stood in front of the door, waiting for Maggie to unlock the door and let him inside. Instead, he heard a howl of frustration and the shattering of the front window. Immediately after, he heard the thud of a body hitting the floor.

Alarmed, Hobbes climbed through the broken window. Maggie was lying in a heap by the foyer, the phone on the floor next to her. Hobbes could just make out Bennett's voice calling to her.

He dropped to her side, simultaneously picking up the phone and checking her pulse. "She's alive but unconscious," he said to Bennett.

"Robert? Thank god. In the crisper drawer in the fridge there should be a box with a syringe and a vial of green fluid. You need to get it and give it to her," Bennett instructed.

Hobbes ran into the kitchen and found the box. He carried it back out to Maggie. "I've never done this before, Bennett." Panic was starting to creep ever so slightly into his voice.

"She will go into permanent catatonia if you don't give her the injection. Just put the needle in the top of the vial and slowly draw out 4 ccs of the liquid. Squirt a little into the air to make sure there are no air bubbles."

Hobbes followed Bennett's instructions. "Where does this need to go?"

"The arm. Turn her arm over so you can see the inside of her elbow. When you can see a vein, carefully slide the needle in and very slowly depress the plunger. I'm sure you can do this."

"I'm putting the phone down," Hobbes told him and set the phone on the floor. He turned over Maggie's arm and found a vein. Wincing, he pushed the needle into her arm and delivered the liquid into her body. When he was done, he set the needle aside and folded her arm up to stop the bleeding. He picked the phone back up. "Done. Now what?"

"Take her up to her room and put her to bed. Wrap her in a lot of blankets and get a glass of water for her. She'll be very thirsty when she wakes up."

"She's going to be okay?"

"Yes, Magdalena will be fine. You did a good job, Robert. I'll let the Official know. And I'll send someone to fix your van. If you need anything else, call me." Bennett hung up. Hobbes set the phone in the cradle and picked up Maggie.

He carried her upstairs and poked his head into doors until he found an insanely pink room full of stuffed animals and posters of movie stars. Hobbes carefully set Maggie on the bed and covered her over. He found a linen closet in the hallway and pulled out a few more blankets for her. He also got a glass of water from the bathroom before returning to stand vigil over Maggie's unconscious form.

* * *

A groan from the still figure on the bed drew Hobbes' attention. Maggie rolled onto her side, her eyes fluttering open.

"Jesus, kid, you scared the shit out of me." He pulled his chair closer to the bed. "Here, drink this." He helped her sit up and held the glass to her lips.

When she was done, he helped her lay back down. "Thanks," she licked her dry lips and closed her eyes.

"What happened?" Hobbes wasn't fooled by her pretending to sleep.

Her eyes opened again. "I used too much power today. It was too close to shot day."

"Pretend for a moment, I have no idea what you're talking about. Oh wait, I don't." Hobbes raised an eyebrow at her.

Maggie pushed herself up so she was leaning against the headboard. "If I use my powers too much or touch too many people, I can pass out or go nuts. The stuff you gave me was an inhibitor serum. It helps me have control a little more."

"Jesus, Maggie, what the hell are you?"

"It's a very long story, Bobby." She let her head drop back against the headboard.

Hobbes tilted his head to one side. "You're not going anywhere soon. I want to know what's going on."

Maggie was too tired to argue with him, and started telling her story.

* * *

The phone rang and Hobbes set down the spoon he was using to stir the sauce. Maggie was upstairs sleeping, and he rushed to answer it.

"Hello?" He tucked the phone against his shoulder and went back to cooking dinner.

"Robert. I was just calling to check on Magdalena." It was Bennett and he sounded concerned.

"She's okay. Upstairs sleeping right now." He paused a moment. "She told me everything."

"I thought she might. Do you have any questions?"

"How long should she stay in bed?" Hobbes tasted the sauce and threw in a handful of herbs.

"She should be better tomorrow. Just make sure she takes it easy, okay?" Bennett said.

"Sure. See you in a few days, Bennett." Hobbes hung up the phone and turned the burner off under the pasta.

"Who was that?" Maggie's voice was soft behind him.

Hobbes turned. Maggie was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, her face pale and wan. It made her red hair stand out even more. "Should you be out of bed?"

She shrugged and moved slowly toward the table. "What are you cooking?"

Hobbes drained the pasta and pulled two plates out of the cabinet. "I made a meat sauce. You hungry?"

Maggie nodded. "Who was on the phone?"

"It was Bennett. He was just checking on you." Hobbes set a plate of pasta in front of Maggie and sat down opposite her. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired. I'm okay, though. Sorry I scared you like that." She ate some of the spaghetti and smiled. "It's good."

"Thanks." He watched her closely for a moment. "You're still really pale."

"All a part of the fun that is my life. Sometimes it really sucks to be me."

Hobbes thought on that for a moment, chewing on some pasta. "How about I get us some movies and popcorn? You need to take it easy for a few days. We could have a movie marathon."

Maggie's face brightened. "Really?"

Hobbes nodded. "Sure." He reached over and grabbed a pen and notepad off the counter. "Make a list for me and I'll see what I can get."

* * *

Maggie settled comfortably into her nest of blankets, eyes focused on the television screen. Hobbes had come back from the video store with a bag full of movies and a box of microwave popcorn. They were currently watching one of her favorite horror films, _The Lost Boys_.

Hobbes shook his head as he came into the living room. He set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table. "What did you say this was again?"

"_The Lost Boys_. Now, shh." She reached out and scooped up a handful of the salty, buttery kernels. Hobbes made a face. "What? Don't you like horror movies?"

"Sure, they're all right. I prefer more classic films."

"Like what?"

"_Notorious, Double Indemnity, The Maltese Falcon._ Classics. All of which I rented. I thought you might be in need of a cinematic education."

Maggie rolled her eyes. "At least you got some good movies to go with them." She had rummaged through the bag when Hobbes returned and saw that he had also rented _Aliens, A Nightmare on Elm Street_ and _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_.

"Just watch your movie, kid, and be quiet." Hobbes gave her foot a playful shove and reached for the popcorn. The phone rang and he reached for it with a sigh.

"Hello?"

"What happened? You never called." Vivian's voice held a mix of anger and worry.

Hobbes groaned inwardly. "Sorry, Viv. There was a little emergency here and it got kinda crazy." He smiled at Maggie and went into the front hall. "What's up?"

"When are you coming home?"

"When the job is over. Viv, Maggie's sick. I'm going to have to stay here for at least the next couple days until she's better."

"What about me?"

Hobbes rubbed the back of his head. "This is my job. You know that."

"Fine, forget it. I'll talk to you in a few days," Viv snapped and hung up. Hobbes sighed and rested his forehead against the receiver of the phone.

"Everything okay?"

Maggie's voice made him look up. He gave her a quick smiled and nodded. "Yeah, Viv just wanted to know when I was coming home."

"It sounded like she was upset." She chewed on her thumb nail.

"She was. But don't worry about her. She's not a big fan of what I do anyway." Hobbes changed the subject. "Movie over?"

"Yeah. I wanted another root beer."

"What do you want to watch next? I'll go set it up."

Maggie's lips quirked into a half smile. "You pick."

* * *

Hobbes was putting on his shoes when Maggie came downstairs the next morning.

"Morning, Maggie. I'm just running out for the paper and some coffee. You want me to grab breakfast?"

"Sure." She sat down on the bottom step.

"How're you feeling this morning?" he asked as he shrugged into his jacket.

"Better. Definitely better."

"Good. I'll be right back. Lock the door behind me," Hobbes reminded her.

She turned the deadbolt and went into the kitchen for some orange juice. The phone rang and she put the carton back into the fridge. She reached for the phone hanging on the wall by back door.

"Hello?"

"Is Bobby there?" Vivian asked impatiently.

Maggie leaned against the back door. "He ran out for coffee. Can I take a message?"

"How long is he going to have to stay with you?" she demanded.

"Until Nick comes back. He had to go Ireland."

Vivian made a sniffing noise. "Well, when will that be?"

"I said I don't know. His family died. Sorry it wasn't at a more convenient time for you," Maggie answered angrily.

"Don't you give me that attitude. Just tell him I called."

Maggie heard the front door open. "He's back. I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience on your life, Mrs. Hobbes." She dropped the phone on the windowsill and ran out of the kitchen. "Your wife is on the phone," she told him as she ran up the stairs.

Hobbes stared at Maggie's retreating back before going to the phone in the kitchen. "What did you say to her?" he asked when he picked up the receiver.

"Nothing. She was giving me attitude. All I asked was for her to give you a message."

"What do you want, Viv?" Hobbes wanted to get upstairs and make sure Maggie was okay.

"Nothing. Forget it. I'll see you in a few days?" she sounded hopeful.

He nodded. "Yeah. I love you, Viv."

"Love you, too, Bobby."

Hobbes hung the phone up and headed up the stairs to Maggie's room. "Maggie?"

"What?" She was curled up on her bed, her back to the door.

"I'm sorry. She just doesn't understand." He sat down on the edge of her bed. She sniffled, but didn't say anything. "You want to go to the mall later?"

She nodded. "Sure."

"I have doughnuts downstairs, if you're hungry."

"I'll be down in a little bit." Her voice was muffled from the pillow.

Hobbes ran his hand over her hair before standing up. "Okay."

* * *

"You ready, kid?" Hobbes called up the stairs.

Maggie came bounding down. "Yup. Let's go." She followed him out the door, shutting and locking it behind her. She climbed into the passenger's side of the van and pulled on her seatbelt. Hobbes backed out of the driveway and they were off to the mall.

Hobbes' car phone rang, interrupting what he was going to say. He answered it. "Yeah?" He listened for a minute before responding. "No problem, I'm on my way."

"What's up?" Maggie asked when Hobbes hung up.

"Trip to the mall's been postponed, kid. I've got something to take care of for another case." He turned around and drove in the other direction. "I'll take you tomorrow."

"Where're we going?" Maggie asked; a gleam in her eye. The thought of getting to go along on a case was more exciting than the mall.

"Strip club down on Montrose."

"Cool," she breathed. Hobbes just shook his head and sped up.

* * *

Hobbes pulled to the curb a few yards down the street from the club. He shut off the van and checked his gun before he opened the door. Maggie started to unbuckle her seatbelt and Hobbes stopped.

"Stay here, kid." Hobbes ordered as he climbed out of the van. Maggie started to protest but he cut her off with a look. "I mean it. Besides that the Official would kill me if anything happened to you, I kinda like you. Wouldn't want you getting shot or anything."

"I can help you," Maggie implored.

Hobbes shook his head. "No. And I mean it. This shouldn't take long. If I'm not back in 10 minutes, call for backup." He pointed at the car phone and shut the door.

Maggie watched him sprint across the road toward the club. Chewing on her lip, she looked the car phone. Ignoring Hobbes's order to wait 10 minutes, Maggie dialed the Agency's emergency line.

"Department of Fish and Game. What is your emergency?" the pleasant female voice asked.

"This is Magdalena Rourke. I need to speak to the Official," she said, trying to imitate Nick's most authoritative voice.

"One moment, please."

Maggie growled at the easy listening Muzak that signified she'd been put on hold.

"This is He."

"Charlie? It's Maggie. I'm at some club downtown. Hobbes got some call about a case he was on and-" She was cut off as a hand slammed down over her mouth. Something hard came down on the back of her head and everything went black.

* * *

"Hey Colin, look what we found outside."

Hobbes and Colin Wells both turned. One of Colin's men, Iain, was carrying something over his shoulder. The other one, Mike, was following him. The something moved and Hobbes felt his heart stop when he caught a glimpse of red hair.

Colin looked at Hobbes. "What, d'you bring your kid sister with you?"

"Nah, Colin." Mike shook his head. "She was talking to somebody about Mr. Hobbes here and a case he was on. Somebody named Charlie."

"Are you a cop, Mr. Hobbes?" Colin was suddenly antsy.

Hobbes shook his head. "No way. I don't know who she is. You've got a lot of street kids around here. Maybe she's one of them."

"Right. A street kid who knows your name and was in your van." Colin looked at Mike and nodded towards Hobbes. The larger man rushed Hobbes, who tried to pull his gun. Mike was faster and knocked Hobbes on the side of the head. The agent slid to the floor unconscious.

* * *

When Hobbes woke with a groan, he found himself tied to one of the brass poles in the middle of the stage. Maggie was also tied up, but she was still unconscious.

"Maggie," he hissed, pinching the only part of her he could reach, her arm. She groaned and pulled herself up a little straighter.

"Bobby?" Maggie leaned her head back against the pole. "I called Charlie."

"I know. You have to get out of here before they kill you." He pulled against the ropes but they had been tied very securely.

Maggie took a deep breath. "I think I can get us free." She slowly dropped her shields enough so that she could feel the ropes telekinetically. The knot slid loose and Maggie pulled her hands free. She quickly untied Hobbes' ropes. They both got to their feet, but Maggie's legs wouldn't support her and she collapsed against the pole.

"I think they hit me harder than I thought," she said as Hobbes pulled her upright with an arm around her waist.

"What'd you do?" He looked around the warehouse with a trained eye, watching for Colin and his two thugs.

"I promise I'll tell you when we get out of here." She did her best to support her own weight and they started for the door.

"Where d'y'think yer going?" Iain's deep voice stopped them in their tracks. They both turned around. Iain had a gun pointed at them.

"Charlie's going to kill you," Maggie muttered to Hobbes. She held her hand out toward Iain. "You don't need us anymore."

Iain's gaze went glassy. "Uh, yeah."

"We're not the people you're looking for." Her voice was soft and beguiling.

"Not the people," Iain repeated.

"We can go about our business."

His expression changed and he looked more aware. "Hey, get out of here. This is a private club," Iain told them.

Hobbes looked from Iain to Maggie. "We were just leaving." He helped Maggie hurry toward the door. "Did you just pull an Obi-Wan on him?"

Maggie was grinning, her eyes glowing. "Yup. Nick's gonna be so psyched."

"Where the hell are you going?" Mike suddenly filled the doorway. Colin came running over from the far side of the room. "What'd you do to Iain?"

Colin grabbed Maggie's arm and dragged her from Hobbes. "Turns out Mr. Hobbes is a federal agent. I don't think we need him anymore. We'll take this one with us, though. She's pretty." Colin started to drag Maggie away.

"Don't touch her!" Hobbes broke free from Mike and ran towards Colin. "Leave her alone!"

All three men drew their guns and fired on Hobbes. Maggie screamed and reached out with her mind. The bullets froze, hanging in mid air.

Colin looked at Maggie. "What the hell?"

Maggie shoved him away from her. "Don't touch me." The bullets turned away from Hobbes and focused back on their owners. "Give me one good reason not to send these back where they came from." Her eyes were glowing brightly.

"That's all right, Maggie. Y' can let 'em go." The familiar accented voice called her back to herself. Maggie turned and saw her Keeper standing next to Charlie and a group of agents in combat gear. The bullets hit the floor with a clink.

The agents swarmed the men, removing their weapons and handcuffing them. Maggie ran full tilt into Nick's arms and Hobbes followed at a slower pace.

"I missed y', snowflake." Nick kissed the top of her head. "Was Agent Hobbes good to you?"

Maggie nodded. "Yup. And guess what? I did the Obi-Wan trick! And it worked!"

Nick's face broke into a broad smile. "Maggie, me girl, that's fantastic!" He picked her up and swung her around.

"When did you get home?" she asked when he set her back down.

"Couple hours ago. Dropped m'stuff home b'fore I came t'get ye. I was sittin' in the Official's office when ye called."

Maggie looked over at the Official. "Don't be mad at Bobby, Charlie. He told me to stay in the van."

The Official glanced at Hobbes before turning to Maggie. "And you didn't listen? I'm shocked."

"It wasn't quite like that, sir," Hobbes threw in.

The Official shook his head. "You stay here and finish up. I'll expect a complete report on what happened when you get back to the Agency."

"Yes, sir." Hobbes looked over his shoulder at the agents swarming around the club. A touch on his arm drew his attention. He turned back and found Maggie standing in front of him. "Yeah, kid?"

"Thanks, Bobby." She threw her arms around him in a quick hug. He returned it a little awkwardly. "I'm glad you turned out not to be a jerk."

"Uh, thanks, kid. And I'm glad you turned out not to be a brat." He grinned at her. She nodded and went to Nick, who was waiting by the door of the club. He raised his hand in a wave goodbye before turning to the task at hand. "All right, guys, what have we found?"

* * *

Outside, Nick and Maggie walked slowly toward the waiting car.

"Bennett told me you had an episode, Princess," Nick said softly.

Maggie nodded. "I did. I was being a brat and it came back to bite me on the ass."

"Watch your language. Hobbes took care of you?"

"He did. He's a good guy." She leaned into his shoulder for a moment.

Nick nodded in agreement. "He is. Now, let's discuss the little matter of your treatment of the first three agents that were assigned to you."

Maggie swallowed hard and tried to look innocent. "What about them?" she asked as she climbed into the car.

"Don't play innocent with me, young lady. Charlie thinks I should ground you."

Maggie's groan was cut off by Nick shutting the car door.


End file.
